The Only strength of your heart

I just got a call from a good friend of mine who had some tragic news to share with me. A dear friend of ours (we were in her wedding) found her two week old baby boy lying still, breathless in his crib last night. For reasons we will never understand, God chose to take away her precious son.

Last night during 4:forteen, Jenn said something that made me think of Psalm 73:25, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you."

You may have never come to such a low point in your life where you have wept David's words. I have. And if Jenn and I communicate nothing else to you, hear this: The Christian life is one full of blessings, joy, grace, and all sorts of wonderful things. But it is also filled with pain, suffering, and all kinds of hardships. It is not easy, but it is worth it. Some day, at some point in your life, you will weep those words--"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you." You might say those words only out of pure joy, but I can tell you that it took me to hit the lowest point of the deepest valley for me to be able to say those words.

The psalm continues, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." There was a point during college, I felt like my flesh and my heart were going to fail. I know for a fact that my dear friend, who lost her son, feels like her flesh and heart are going to fail. I also know for a fact, that some day you will too.

Last night, Jenn talked about preparing yourself while you wait on the Lord. If you hide yourself in God's word, if you seek Him in prayer, if you ask Him to prepare you--He will build you up now, so that when tragedy arrives you will be able to say, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

We are not strong. We are certainly not strong enough to bare grief such as losing your 3 week old child. But God is. And he will provide all the strength you need--forever.

But it starts now. Ask God to begin preparing you, strengthening you, building you up, for the rest of your life. So that when the time comes, in the midst of sorrow, you can say, joyfully, "My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."